DARRELL L. NELSON, 71, formerly of Canario Drive, died Friday June 6, 2003 at the Rhode Island Veteran's Home in Bristol.

He was the husband of the late Rosemarie (Francis) Nelson. Born in Garden City, S.D., a son of the late Walter and Ruth (Phipps) Nelson, he had lived in Newport and Bristol before moving to Warren in 1969.

Mr. Nelson had been a chief petty officer 1st class in the Navy. He served for more than 23 years, and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. While stationed at DaNang, Vietnam, he received a Purple Heart.

He served in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, and in New Zealand and Antarctica. While assigned to the construction battalion in Davisville, he volunteered for Operation Deep Freeze, and was in one of the first SeaBee units to establish a permanent research facility at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. He retired in 1982.

Mr. Nelson had been a member of the Portuguese American Club, the Anthony Almeida VFW Post 237, Bristol, and the East Bay Rod & Gun Club, Warren.

He had also served as a reserve officer for the Town of Warren.

He leaves two sons, Darrell L. Nelson Jr. of Tiverton and David L. Nelson of Cranston; two daughters, Linda Reardon of Warwick and Laura Furtado of Warren; two brothers, Richard Nelson of Plant City, Fla., and Roy Nelson of Atlanta, Ga.; a sister, Clarine Jamison of Las Vegas, Nev.; and five grandchildren.

Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Bristol.